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 'Hooker scandal' hangs over Egyptian team
    Staff Reporter
    June 25 2009 at 07:22AM
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A Google search for the words "Egypt soccer prostitutes" yields more than 30 000 results. Now that's a PR disaster! After The Sunday Independent and iol.co.za published accusations by police that the Egyptian team had been victims of thieving prostitutes, the story has turned up on everything from allafrica.com to niche blogs such as muslim soccer.wordpress.com

Despite vociferous denials by Egyptian officials, the scandal prompted Egyptian TV talkshow host Amr Adeeb to brand the players "unclean".

His criticism brought howls of protest from the players - and striker Mohamed Aboutrika threatened to retire if his country's football association didn't defend the team's honour. Some of the players made angry calls to Adeeb's show and at one point the coach grabbed the phone and allegedly yelled: "We don't want to play football - to hell with all of you!" then hung up.
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According to the English-language Egyptian paper The Daily News, Adeeb later apologised.

'We are ready to forget what happened'
The paper also claims South African police have retracted the claims, and quotes captain Ahmed Hassan as saying "We are ready to forget what happened", although several players are apparently still threatening to sue Adeeb.

And as we reported on iol.co.za on Wednesday, soccer supremo Danny Jordaan has also apologised for the furore. So that's that then?

Not quite. South African police have yet to arrest any hotel staff, despite claims by the Egyptians that it was an inside job.

And in the blogosphere, the debate continues. One blog posting on skyscrapercity.com reads: "Allah is punishing them for consorting with prostitutes." But most Egypt fans seem to back their players, repeating the official denials and emphasising the family values and religious observances of their team, saying "our players have families" and "the team pray together five times a day, even waking up at 5am to pray".



  • This article was originally published on page 3 of The Star on June 25, 2009

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muti
Showing page 1 of 3 comment pages, 22 total comments
32 Weeks ago crushed wrote :
SA is rife with crime we know this, but who do the Egyptians think they are!!!? Amateurs if u ask me. There r some things u shd take to the grave and unfortunately for the holy muslims (or not so holy in this instance), this is one of them! Generally, we as South Africans look down upon ourselves. We strive for affirmation from other nations which should not be the case. We are indeed alive with possibility....possibility to host a world cup for Africa, possibility to fight crime and corruption, possibility to be a better poeple, to be united. And indeed we are united against the Egyptians who want to cast doubt on our nation! How dare they??? Our police dept is tested here...so lets show the world that we are not hypocrites, that we acknowledge the fact that there's prostitution in this country (and every other) and the pharoahs utilised this service! If they were robbed, they shouldnt point foul fingers at RSA (although theft is an offence), they should turn around and say...ok, we wont use this service next year in the world cup...at least not in that area...or we wont be caught next time we get our hands dirty! Shame on u and your family values! Now we know your true colours an its not as white as you have proclaimed to the world! You can scream as loud as you want in protest, but we know the truth and so do you! You're a joke...but keep praying 5x a day....for forgiveness hopefully.


32 Weeks ago mfana wrote :
This people from other countries they dont respect our country and its beauty. South Africa is rich with almost everything.We have seen people faking hijakings because they used money to gamble on casinos, people faking theft/robery just to cover themselves from their love one or superiors. The fact of the matter those Egyptians they think we are fools. The money was used to either Gamble or buy what all Man irrespective of religion enjoys most(SEX).

Well done Egyptian Team, this is what we call you give to the previously disadvantaged. Thank you
32 Weeks ago Anonymous wrote :
I agree with Blessed!!!!! Most poeple believe in some or other God but not that its superior than someone else's belief! The muslims proclaim to be superior...family values??? do they even know what that means? Its all a cover up...Think about it, they were not the only internationals at the hotel! They should be ashamed of themselves and their family values!!! What a joke. I say bring on the cameras at the hotel and let the world see the activities of that night!!!!!!!!!!!! and put the matter to rest for all to see
32 Weeks ago Umfaan wrote :
Egypt is one of the oldest countries in the world and hookers is regarded dating back from those very very olden times. One asks the question - were these ancient Egyptians never ever been involved with hookers? C'mon..!!! A man is a man.
32 Weeks ago Global citizen wrote :
Crime is crime and should not be condoned! Their rights were violated by the thieves and they were right to report the matter to the police so that the culprits can be brought to task. But.... I agree with most people that the whole religious story is plain bull. The Egyptian team should rather stick to the facts and stop using 'religious values' story because that just doesn't fly and it makes us believe that they are hiding something and its just plain hypocritical!
32 Weeks ago lucas wrote :
The puma delegation was robbed.
The Brazilian team was robbed too.
all of them had brought hookers ?!!!!!!
The Fifa representative who was accompanying the Egyptian team assured that he was always was them the whole time in SA and the hookers story is a hoax.
Danny jordaan apologized, if he was sure of his allegations he would have never apologized.
32 Weeks ago Really ??? wrote :
As usaual, they are at it again, DENY, DENY DENY, if caught !!!! But on the otherside of the coin, ENJOY, ENJOY, ENJOY if not caught with your pants down
32 Weeks ago Laughing at religion wrote :
Ha ha what a laugh. The muslim religion is one of the most restrictive, and the worshipers one of the mos hypocritical. No wonder when they are abroad they go wild. I have seen them in Singapore, Malaysia, Dubai and even London clubs, Saudis, Kuwaitis, Iranians all boosing it up and hookers everywhere.. Just go to a certain nightclub in Greenside and you will see heaps of Muslims drinking on a Friday night after prayer. Even Mohammed Attar and his Murderous brothers had hookers in their rooms a few nights before 9/11. It was the same in the old days of our conservative NP Religious nut Apartheid Governement. Gambling and drinking in Sun City and Swaziland on weekends with a few naked shows thrown in. Remember Treunicht and his apartheid policies and then he ends up with a coloured woman. To all you Conservative Religious Pious Hypocrits I laugh at you... You get what you deserve.
32 Weeks ago HD wrote :
Guys... none of you have proofs that they had prostitutes... plus are you now proud of your country because the hotrl staff didnt steal from the clients but the prostitutes did???? professional sex workers, thats a job too, they aint supposed to steal neither....
suddenly South Africa is a haven of peace with no crimes and the egyptians are dirty liars????
Come on!!!!!
32 Weeks ago Anonymous wrote :
Easy solution to this problem - security tapes. If it shows that there were prostitutes entering and leaving their rooms, then their story is shot to hell and no matter how much they deny it, the entire world will know the truth.
I dont really care if they indulged in SA's red light offerings, but i dont like the idea of them blaming SA crime for allowing dodgy people in their rooms...




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